NASCAR Camping World Series
Buescher is on the fast track
Truck Series driver returns to Sparta
to defend two-race wins
(June 2013) – Having won his first championship at age 14, Plano, Texas, native James Buescher knows what it takes to win. This 2012 Camping World Truck Series reigning champion on June 27 will try to repeat last year’s success at the Kentucky Speedway, where he won both NASCAR Camping World Series Truck races, in June and September.
He won four Truck Series races last year to become the series champion.
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Buescher began competing in the Bandolero Young Gun Series at Texas Motor Speedway in 2004. He quickly moved on to the Legend Series and partnered with Turner Scott Motorsports in 2006.
This proved to be a breakout year for Buescher, as he ran in the ASA (American Speed Association) Late Model Series South, capturing the championship, Rookie of the Year honor and the Most Popular Driver award.
The next two years saw Buescher race in various national stock car series. He made his debut in the ARCA Racing Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series. He became the youngest winner in ARCA series history when he won at USA International Speedway in his series debut.
Out of six more races he ran that season, Buescher earned an additional five top-10 finishes and finished in the top 10 in all four Busch East races in which he competed. He ran a part-time schedule in both the ARCA Series and the NASCAR Busch East Series in 2007.
Buescher signed with Braun Racing in 2008 and made his debut at Phoenix International Raceway in the No. 32 Great Clips Toyota. He remained in the top 20 for the entire race, finishing 18th.
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| Buescher |
This same year he earned his first top 10 spot at Gateway International Raceway. At Memphis Motorsports Park, Buescher claimed his first NASCAR pole award. This was his sixth NASCAR Nationwide Series start in Braun Racing’s No. 32 car.
Most of the 2009 racing season was spent competing full time in 25 races in the Truck Series. He snagged one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
Not one to shy away from an opportunity, Buescher also competed in four ARCA Racing Series events in 2009. He had two wins and three top-five finishes.
Near the end of the year, an announcement was made that he would be the 2010 Truck Series driver for Phoenix Racing. To get him prepared, Buescher ran two races in the No. 1 Miccosukee Resorts Chevrolet. He finished 11th at Texas Motor Speedway and 13th at Phoenix International Raceway.
But prior to the beginning of the 2010 season, an announcement was made that Miccosukee was dropping its sponsorship of all NASCAR teams. Buescher placed eighth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. He parted ways with Phoenix Racing on May 12, 2010, and returned to the Truck Series.
He drove the Turner Scott Motor-sports’ No. 31 Wolfpack Rentals Silverado for most of the season. Out of 22 starts, he finished inside the top-five six times and inside the top-10 on 10 occasions. In 2011, Buescher had a career best third place in the final Truck Series point standings, with 10 top fives and 14 top 10s.
Buescher made 15 Nationwide Series starts, with one top-10 finish. Buescher drove part-time in the series in 2011, sharing with several other drivers. While driving in races for Turner, he earned his second career pole at Texas Motor Speedway. On Feb. 25, 2012, he won the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. He also won his first career Truck Series victory at Kansas.
“It was definitely rewarding to win races,” said Buescher in a previous interview. “I’ve been in different situations where I’ve been close to winning since 2008 and to break through at Daytona opened the flood gates.”
2012 proved to be his year. Buescher won four races in the Truck Series, with 10 top-fives and 14 top 10s. He was declared the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion that year, a first for Buescher and Turner Scott Motorsports. His current sponsors are Exide-AccuDoc Solutions and Rheem Manufacturing Co.
Buescher is expected to try and defend his title at the Kentucky Speedway in June. He’ll be behind the wheel of the Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado.
Highly competitive, he said he wants to win races and enjoys doing so. He has been quoted as saying, “There’s always more to learn, more to do. Hopefully, I’ll become the first back-to-back champion in the Truck series.”